Adventures in Creative Writing

Month: May 2015

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My mother recently gave me a package of old photos and letters. Many of the photos were pictures of my children when they were young and of me during different stages of my life. It was entertaining remembering the events behind the photos and reminiscing about the “good old days”. Included in the package, also, was a very meaningful letter.

When I was born, there was a defect in an artery in my stomach and within moments of my birth I began to vomit blood. The situation was so dire my parents were told I would probably not survive the night. The doctors were able to get the bleeding to stop but I needed an emergency transfusion of A- blood, a rare type, in order to stabilize me. My paternal grandfather had the same blood type but because of a heart condition and the medications he was taking he could not be my donor.

The local radio station put out an emergency bulletin asking for a donor and the hospital began to call people it knew had the same blood type. A quiet, unassuming woman answered the call and immediately came to the hospital to donate blood to save my life. A few days later, I was able to go home.

My parents were deeply grateful to the woman and after some detective work located her name and address and sent her a thank you card. She replied with a two page letter and said God had put her in the right place at the right time and for the rest of her life I would also be “her baby”. Years later when I was married, this woman Catherine Allen, came to my wedding. It was one of the most profoundly sentimental moments in my life.

Over the years, I have often wondered and fretted and pondered on what my purpose was in life. Did God have a purpose? Through times of struggle and confusion I have had moments of doubt but God has reminded me time and again of Catherine Allen, the tenuous moments when I hovered between life and death, and his restoration. Yes, he has a purpose for my life and my steps on this earth are not random or by chance.

Every person, no matter who you are or where you have come from, has a purpose and your life has amazing meaning. The catch is taking time to listen to God and discover his plan for you. You have been gifted with talents and abilities and if you open your heart to God’s leading you will find an astounding path is right before you.

Jeremiah 1:5 says, “”Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;”. God’s plan for your life began before you took your first breath. He knew you–every miniscule part of you–and you are precious to him. This is the meaning of your life–living to please God and bring the same joy and purpose to others. Don’t doubt for one moment you are necessary and needed and wanted.